It might be spring, and it might be in the middle of a minicamp in which little is decided over how much a player will play over the course of a season, but it's still a good time to get quotes from football players.

A day after 49ers head coach Mike Singletary essentially ruled out a big split in reps among his running backs, Frank Gore all but squashed the chances of him sharing the ball on a regular basis with ... well, anyone. Here's the official transcript from the 49ers with some Fantasy notes sprinkled in:

On getting a good feel for Jimmy Raye's new offense: "Yeah. I like it so far. We're running the ball a lot. We're doing a lot of downhill runs, and that's my type of running style."

On the similarities between Jimmy Raye's offense and Norv Turner's: "It's about the same. A lot of power counters. Going at them. Don't care what they have in front of us, they just have to stop it."

On whether that offensive style is encouraging given his rushing yards in Norv Turner's system in 2006: "Yeah because this offense…my type of running style is I like to have my shoulders square. A lot of runs and a lot of running plays are going straight downhill. Just pick your hole and go."

(FANTASY NOTE: This should be very encouraging to everyone out there who has Frank Gore on a rank list. That should be, um, all of you.)

On comparing this running style to last year's: "More of a lot of finesse runs."

On what he thinks about the team wanting to keep some of the workload off to keep him fresher as the season goes along: "I haven't heard that we're going to take some of the load off of me. I know the coach has been telling me that I have to be in tip-top shape and I have to be ready to take the load, and that's what I'm going to do."

(FANTASY NOTE: A huge statement by Gore. He's essentially saying that he not only can carry the load for the team all year, but that he's expected to. How many running backs are left out there that will be in such a position?) On whether he thinks drafting a running back to give him more breaks during the game is needed: "Well, I feel like the more I'm in the game, the more I touch the ball, the better player I am. The back they've got here is a pretty good back. He's working very hard and he's learning the offense. I like him. Whenever they feel that they want to put him in, get him [inaudible], I feel that he'll be alright to get in the game."

On his thoughts about whether having a rotation will dilute his effectiveness in the second half: "I don't think that we'll be rotating. But, like I say, my type of style and running the ball and playing, I feel like I get better the more I'm in and the more I touch the ball."

On whether having a backup get more touches could prolong his career: "Last year it was about the same. We had DeShaun [Foster], we have Mike [Robinson]. They were getting me, coming in on plays the coach had them run. I'm cool with that. As long as I'm in most of the snaps and I'm getting in my rhythm, doing the best I can do to help my team win, I'm fine with it." On whether his injuries the past two years had to do with being worn down: "I won't say I was worn down. I couldn't help some, last year fell on my ankle and the year before the same, under power. I felt like I was starting to get stronger the game I did get hurt. I wouldn't say it was because I was worn down. It was just unlucky injuries."

On seeing Glen Coffee and a couple other guys competing to be the backup and whether that pushes him: "Every time I touch on the field I motivate myself. I feel that every guy wants to be the man. That's what pushes me. I don't doubt any other guy playing the sport. I play because when I was coming out, I felt like I wanted to be the man. So, I push myself."

On whether having a first-round draft pick like WR Michael Crabtree will help him running the ball: "It will help a whole lot, especially when he comes in and do what he did in college. That would be a big factor to our offense and to our team. Then we'll see more like a seven-man box, than what we've been seeing, eight-, nine-men box. If you can't run against a seven-man box, you shouldn't run the ball at all."

(FANTASY NOTE: Another good point by Gore, and this is something you can apply to every team in the league. If a team has a passing threat that must be accounted for, the easier it will be for a rusher to pick up yardage. However, last year Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner saw a lot of eight-in-the-box and still racked up huge stats. That should speak volumes about their abilities. Gore's done it before, too -- if Crabtree can help right away it will do wonders for his numbers.)

On whether he thought he would get more passes than he ended up getting in last year's offensive scheme: "I did. I did, but just going [inaudible]. The other running backs we had, but things didn't work out. The quarterback situation, switching quarterbacks, just things didn't work out how we planned it to work."

On how he feels physically: "I feel good. I feel real good. I feel real good."

On when the ankle started to feel better: "After, when I came back, I did a mini-camp practice, I started feeling like I got better, then I started to be able to train more, and the more I started training, the better, the stronger my ankle got."

On whether that happened in the April mini-camp: "Yeah. I felt that when I practiced, that I was alright, that I could move around. So, the more I started training the stronger I got. But, now I feel better." On whether there was anything different in his offseason training this year: "I was at home. I was in Miami more than the last couple of years. I would usually be out here first, but I've been in Miami training with my trainer. But, it's been about the same."

Better in Week 7: Slaton or Gore? We've received a bunch of emails this morning with people asking which running back is the better start in Week 7 between Steve Slaton (vs. DET) and Frank Gore (at NYG). Let's answer the question.

Last 3 games -- average rush attempts: GORE: 15.6 SLATON: 13.6

Last 3 games -- average receptions: GORE: 3.3 SLATON: 3.3 (but one each in last two for Slaton)

Last 3 games -- average total yardage: GORE: 102.6 SLATON: 91.0

Last 3 games -- total touchdowns: GORE: 2 SLATON: 3

So from these stats, we can see that Gore is getting more touches and doing more with them, even though Slaton has one more touchdown. Let's continue.

Gore plays at NYG

Giants: Allowing 94.4 rush yards per game on the season, two rush TDs allowed on the season. The Giants are coming back from a Monday night game where Jamal Lewis grinded out a nice stat line on them. At home, the Giants have allowed one rush TD and zero 100-yard rushers through three games (Clinton Portis, Chris Perry, Julius Jones were the primary rushers in those games). The Giants' run defense is strong at home.

Slaton plays vs. DET

Lions: Allowing 171.0 rush yards per game on the season, seven rush TDs allowed on the season. Running backs have topped 110 yards rushing at home vs. Detroit in three games (Michael Turner, Frank Gore and Adrian Peterson were the primary rushers in those games; Jerious Norwood also had 93 rush yards against them in the same week Turner had 220). Five of seven rush TDs allowed have come on the road, but none last week at Minnesota.

Projections

It's close, and it wasn't done intentionally. We have Gore getting 104 total yards and a touchdown, and Slaton getting 105 total yards and a touchdown. We did project that Gore's touchdown would come through the air, not on the ground.

Additional factors

Gore always has the potential for a monster stat line, but those don't seem likely against good run defenses on the other side of the country. However, Slaton will still share the ball with Ahman Green, and the Texans are more than willing to throw to move the chains instead of run. Gore is about the best chance the 49ers have.

This is a tough call. It's Gore's potential vs. Slaton's matchup. I really don't like Slaton sharing the ball with Ahman Green. I don't like Gore going up against a pretty good run defense. But Gore will definitely win the battle of who gets more touches, and Gore has been consistent in his rushing average, getting at least 4.5 yards per carry over his last four games. By comparison, Slaton's has dipped below 4.0 twice in his last three. To me, that's the tiebreaker. Gore's bigger workload + better rushing average beats out Slaton's lesser workload and up-and-down rushing average. I'd go Gore despite the matchup. But it's a heck of a coin flip.

Agree? Disagree? Write us at dmfantasyfootball@cbs.com, or post a comment below and tell us who you'd start. Good arguments will be posted either in Today's Take or here in my blog!

So that left me to pick at 6. After ruling out Tom Brady (hard to expect him to repeat 51 touchdowns, strong QBs are plentiful), I was down to Larry Johnson and Frank Gore. Here's how I battled it out in my head ...

Johnson's pros: Is the Kansas City offense ... runs the ball often, catches the ball, works at the goal line, will get a lot of work, but not 350 touches over a season ...

Johnson's cons: Coming off a foot injury that was misdiagnosed/misunderstood ... O-line still a mess ... QB is still a mess ...

Gore's pros: Is a huge chunk of the San Fran offense ... should be back on for a ton of work after getting lost in the shuffle somehow in 2007 ... gets goal-line carries, receptions ...

Gore's cons: DeShaun Foster just signed, he might take some reps ... health always an issue with him ... QB is a mess ... O-line is still iffy ...

But what sold me on Gore: Mike Martz. Because I expect Martz to lean on Gore in his play calling instead of what he did in Detroit, I figure Gore will have a big year yardagewise. Touchdowns should factor in, too.

LJ's foot also scared me off. I need to know if it's a Lisfranc or not (everyone's mum on the injury). We may never know.

I'll continue to share my thoughts on my picks throughout this mock draft, and I promise to take at least one rookie running back.

T.J. Duckett goes to Seattle. When everyone I know heard this news, the first thing they asked was 'What does this mean for Shaun Alexander?' I use this analogy: Let's say your boss hired a person to help you do YOUR primary job. Assuming it's not a secretary or a college intern, chances are it means that you're not getting the job done to your boss' satisfaction. Apply that to Alexander's stature in Seattle and you have an idea of what it means. Granted, everyone in the Seattle-area papers are saying that Duckett was someone the club wanted last offseason, too, and that Alexander will still start. That's all well and good, but I'm telling you right now that he's either going to lose or has lost his goal-line job, and that's a killer since Alexander isn't a speedster anymore. Alexander is a solid No. 3 Fantasy RB (that's right -- you're BENCHING him if you start two running backs in your league); Duckett's value is up since he'll see some work in 2008, and that also affects Maurice Morris, who will likely lose some carries with Duckett around.

Javon Walker signs with Raiders. Potentially explosive risk/reward player here. If he's healthy (he passed the Raiders' physical), Walker has a shot to be a stat machine. JaMarcus Russell, as unpolished as he may be, has an absolute cannon for an arm, and Walker is a good deep-ball receiver. And the Raiders aren't expected to be in many tight, close, low-scoring games. Wouldn't surprise me if they're playing from behind a lot next year. That means lots of passing, especially with Russell at QB, and that should be good for Walker. The only addition that could make Walker even more dangerous is if the Raiders draft Darren McFadden. But his knee is a HUGE "IF." We've got him ranked as a low-end No. 3 Fantasy WR, and we have him tabbed as a potential sleeper for '08.

By the way, Russell and McFadden on the same team? Wow, Oakland would have the potential to be really, really good. If they had any semblance of a secure coaching structure in place, I'm sure they would consider taking him at No. 4. But since they don't, I expect them to pass on "DMC."

Tidbits:Marty Booker is a HUGE Fantasy winner thanks to his signing in Chicago. He has a shot at 60-to-80 receptions with a low average and maybe six touchdowns. A week ago, he wasn't ranked! Now he's 53rd among Fantasy WRs. ... Julius Jones appears headed for backupsville, which hurts his Fantasy value. Still has upside, though. ... Aaron Stecker stays in New Orleans, buried on their RB depth chart. Not good. ... Also not good for Pierre Thomas. ... Tatum Bell and Mewelde Moore creep into the top 70 RBs. ...